Heroics is a family tradition for Kelly and Matthew Stafford

The long and winding road to recovery

Eventually, Kelly Stafford did recover fully. No hearing loss. No loss of facial movement. And she was back to boxing training.  While that may seem a relatively easy thing to do for the athletically active mother, it was not. Everything had to be relearned, starting with walking and talking.

Perhaps the most painful part of the experience was being away from her children. To help her recovery, she had to be apart from her daughters for two weeks after the surgery. And even when she was able to see them again, she was too weak to pick them up. That is a parent’s worst fear. Her hearing became acutely painful to any loud noises. So hubby Matthew had to teach their daughters to speak in soft voices.

A couple that faces an event like this either grows much closer or grows apart.  The Staffords grew together, discovering untapped strength and love in one another. But this was no easy road to travel, as the video below portrays, the emotions that the couple experienced were raw and real.

The aftermath was an outpouring of information about the struggles of coming back from the procedure, and an onrush of love and support from the fans and friends in Detroit. Kelly Stafford wrote about her experiences with the help of ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.

Since then, the Staffords have welcomed a fourth child into their lives, Tyler Hall Stafford, born on June 26, 2020. And in 2021, Matthew Stafford will play for just his second NFL team, the Los Angeles Rams.

A single event can change everything. For the Staffords, facing Kelly Staffords’ surgery together has changed everything. Life is even more precious. Priorities have been reshuffled. The path of their future together has taken a couple of unexpected turns. But it comes down to heroics. You see, Heroics is not being unafraid. True heroics is facing your deepest fears and doing it anyway.

Heroics is a Stafford family tradition. Here’s hoping that they both stay #StaffordStrong for years to come.